Rotary steam-engine.



No.723,436. I PATENTED MAR.24,11903.

T. BAYLEY.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE. APPLICIAIION rnnn AUG. 21,1902.

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No. 723,436. PATENTBD MAR. 24, 1903.

- T. BAYLEY.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 723,436. V PATBNTED MAR. 24, 1903.

T. BAYLEY.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 21. 1902.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BAYLEY, OF HAMILTON, CANADA.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letterslatent No. 723,436, dated March 24, 1903. Application filed August 21, 1902. Serial No. 120,491. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern; v

Be it known that I, THOMAS BAYLEY, a citizen of Canada, residing at the city of Hamilton, in the county of WVent'wort-h and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary steam-engines in which a balanced piston secured to a central shaft is capable of revolving in a central and stationary cylinder of larger diameter than the piston by means of steam acting against certain teeth projecting from the periphery of the piston. Side cylinders open into the central cylinder and are provided with steam-cushion rollers which revolve with their central shafts in cooperation with the central piston and in proximity thereto and are revolved by means of gearwheels secured to the piston-shaft and the roller-shafts. The piston and the rollers revolve as indicated by arrows. Suitable slots are in the periphery of the rollers to receive the teeth of the piston.

The object of my invention is to provide a rotary steam-engine with perfectly-balanced piston and steam-cushion rollers which shall be capable of revolving at a high rate of speed with a minimum supply of steam with perfect safety. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional plan of the rotary steam-engine in normal position. Fig. ,2 is an elevation of the interior, showing principally the interior of the cylinders, the piston, the steam-cushion rollers,and the steam-ports. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same, the gearwheels being removed to show the steam-exhaust ports. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the valve, the central part being broken away to show the hub in section. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the steam reversing-ring with steamports. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a part of the central cylinder, showing the rear concentric groove in broken lines and the manipulatingplunger for operating the ring shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Figs; 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the drawings are viewed from the gear-wheel and steam-exhaust side of the engine. Fig.

8 is an elevation showing reversible mechanism for opening and closing the steam-exhaust ports of the central cylinder on the gear-wheels side of the same. Fig. 9 is an enlarged elevation of a tooth of the piston, showing the steam opening or slot in the tooth.

In the drawings the centrally-located steamcylinder of the engine is indicated by 2, and the side cylinders, which form a part thereof, by 3. The said cylinders2and 3are shown in two parts, each said part having a flange 4. Both said-parts are firmly and rigidly secured together and steam tight, as in ordinary steam-cylinder covers. It will be noticed here that the side cylinders 3 are wider than the central cylinder 2. The central cylinder opens into said side cylinders.

The rotatable piston- 6 is secured on the horizontal revoluble shaft 7, and the sides of the piston fit snugly against the inner sides of the cylinder 2, though the piston is quite free of any friction against said inner sides. Between the periphery of the piston and the bore of the cylinder 2 is a steam-chamber 8 that is, the diameter of the cylinder 2 is larger than the diameter of the piston 6 to allow the teeth 9 of the piston to revolve therein.

The teeth 9 of the piston 6 are. diametrically opposite and extend transversely on the periphery of the piston, from side to side thereof, and form apart of the piston. When the engine is in operation, the steam acts upon one side each of the teeth 9 to revolve the piston, together with its central shaft 7. The teeth 9 have openings 10 to receive steam and expand the outer part of the teeth to the bore of the cylinder in order to take up any wear of the teeth.

11 and 12 are steam-cushion rollers secured on their shafts 13 and 14., respectively, and the ends of said rollers fit snugly against the inner sides of the side cylinders 3 in a similar manner as the sides of the piston 6 fit against the inner sides of the cylinder 2, previousl y referred to. The cylinders 3 are bored to fit the rollers at the intersection of said cylinder 2 with the cylinders 3, the remaining part of the cylinders 3 having chambers 21.

The rollers 11 and 12 have each a transverse slot 15 extending from end to end of the rollers. 9 of the piston 6 at every half-revolution of These slots 15 receive theteeth the piston and at every revolution of the rollers. It will be obvious that the diameter of each said roller'is one-half the diameter of the piston, and the periphery of the piston slightly engages with the periphery of the rollers, but not sufficiently so to propel the rollers but that the engagement should be steam-tight.

The piston-shaft 7 referred to is capable of revolving in a suitable bearing 16 of the cylinder 2 and suitable bushing 17 of said cylinder. The end of the shaft 7' protrudes a distance through the bearing 17 and is shown broken. This shaft may be extended and supported in other suitable bearing extended from the cylinder or cylinders, as the case may be, and have a suitable wheel or pulley on said shaft to transmit power.

The kind of bearing for the shaft 7 otherwise than those shown and also other means on said shaft for transmitting power are deemed as unimportant as affecting this invention.

The piston-shaft 7 has a spur gear-wheel 18 secured thereon, and the roller-shafts l3 and 14 have pinion gear-wheels l9 and 20, respectively, secured thereon. The wheels.l9 and gear into the wheel 18 and are operated by said wheel 18. The wheels 19 and 20 have each half the number of teeth as the wheel 18 in order that the slots 15 in the rollers 11 and 12 may receive the teeth 9 of the piston 6 at every revolution of said rollers and at every half-revolution of the piston. 'lhe'holes 22 in the rollers 11 and 12 are to counterbalance the slots 15 of said rollers in order that the said rollers shall be balanced, which is important to the engine.

The shafts l3 and 14 of the rollers are capable of revolving in suitable bearings 23 of the side cylinder 3. It will be noticed that these hearings project inward as well as outward to afford good long bearings for. said shafts. The said rollers have annular grooves 24 in order that the rollers may be free to revolve around said inner part of the bearings and without contact therewith.

At the steam-entrance side of the cylinder 2 and through said side thereof and between the bore of the cylinder and the periphery of the piston 6 are steam port-holes 26, diametrically opposite to each other and communicate with the formed chamber 8, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In proximity to the diametrically opposite steam-ports 26 of the cylinder 2 are steamports 27, also in diametrical line and identical with the ports 26 and for the same purpose that is, to admit steam against the teeth 9 when the piston has been revolved a distance, as indicated by arrow. The steam-ports 28 and 29 are similar to said ports 26 and 27 and are for the purpose only of reversing the engine. All these steam-ports are apart from each other and are similar. The steam-ports bearing the same numeral are diametrically opposite to each other and the same distance from the teeth 9 when the engine is normal and are stationary through the side of the cylinder. The steam-exhaust ports 30 and 31 (shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings) are through the opposite side of the cylinder 2 to the steam ports referred to and communicate with the chamber 8that is, the annular opening formed between the bore of the cylinder 2 and the periphery of the piston.

The steam-exhaust ports 30 are similar to the steam-exhaust ports 31. When the piston revolves as indicated by arrow, the exhaustports 30 are open and the exhaust-ports 31 are closed, and when the piston is reversed the exhaust-ports 30 are closed and the exhaust-ports 31 are open.

I 2 is a revoluble valve with central hub 33 as a part of the valve and which fits loosely on the end of the piston-shaft 7, and the shaft is capable of revolving a certain distance in said hub in either direction independently of the hub which forms a part of the valve, and

when the hub is revolved the valve revolves with it. The end of the shaft 7 is provided with a stationary pin 34, which passes through the transverse opening in said hub. The opening 35 allows the shaft 7 to turn a distance in either direction previous to. the engagement of the pin 34 with the ends of the opening 35, and when the pin 34 engages with either endof the opening 35 the valve 32 revolves with the shaft 7. The width of the opening 35 regulates the position of the steamopenings 36 with the teeth 9 of the piston 6. The said steam-openings 36 through the face of the valve 32 allow the steam to enter the steam-ports 26 and 27 to the driving side of the teeth 9 of the piston. This is accomplished when the piston is brought to a position with the teeth 9 passed a part of the steam-ports 26.

The steam-chest 38' has a central opening 39 for suitable steam-pipe connection and is secured to the cylinder 2 and surrounds the revoluble steam-valve 32.

The steam stationary reversing-ring (shown in Figs. 1,5, and 6 of the drawings) is located between the face of the valve 32 and side of the cylinder 2 and covered by the valve. The ring 42 has steam-ports 43 and 44, so that when said ring is revolved to position to revolve the engine the steam-ports 43 and 44 of the ring conform with and are immediately opposite the steam-ports 26 and 27 of the cylinder 2, and for reversing purposes the ring 42 has also steam-ports 45 and 46 to conform to and immediately opposite the steam-ports 28 and 29 of the cylinder 2 when the ring is slightly revolved in contrary direction- The face or cylinder side of the ring 42 has a rigid pin 47 to operate in the segmental groove 48 in the side of the cylinder. (Shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings.) The plunger 49 to operate the ring 42 has a slot or opening 50 at its inner end to loosely fit the pin 47. The plu'nger is capable of sliding in a preparation or guide-boss 51 on a convenient place of the that is, to forward the steam-ports of the ring to conform with the steam-ports of the cylinder, as referred to. It will be noticed that the distance between the steam-ports 43' and 45 of the ring is the same as the distance over the steam-ports 27 and 29 of the cylinder, and when the steam-ports 43 and 44 of the ring are opposite to the steam-ports 26- and 27 of the cylinder the steam-ports 28 and 29 of the cylinder are closed, and when the engine and the ring 42 are in normal position all the steam-ports of the cylinder2 are closed by means of the ring.

In reference to the exhaust-ports 30 and 31, previously referred to, the side of the cylinder isprovided with preparations 54 for suitable pipe and valve connections, which are to be capable of opening or closing either the two exhaust-ports 30 or the two exhaustports 31, as the case may be.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings willbe seen steam valve or cock connection to the exhaust-ports 30 and 31 of Fig. 3 of the drawings and mechanism for opening and closing said exhaust-p ports.

the face 54 of the exhaust-ports 30., and the exhaust-valves 61 are secured to the face 54 of the exhaust-ports 31. 62 represents levers con' The exhaust-valves are secured to nected to the valves 60 and 61, and the other ends of said levers are pivotally connected at 63 to the vertical rods 64. Each pair of rods 64 are hinged together at to allow the same to operate easily when opening and closing the valves 60 and 61. 65 is an inverted-T- shaped beam and is fulcrumed at 67 to the side of the cylinder 2. The T ends of the beam 65 are pivotally connected at 68 to the upper end of the rods 64, and the upper end of the beam 65 is pivotally connected at 69 to the hand draw and push bar 66.

The exhaust-valves 60 and 61 are so devised and arranged that when the hand-bar 66 is drawn toward the left hand the beam 65 raises the right-hand rod 64 and lowers the left-hand rod 64. Consequently the levers 62 open the valves 60 and at the same time close the valves 61. When the engine is reversed, the hand-bar 66 is pushed toward right hand, and a similar reverse action of the beam opens the valves 61 and closes the valves 60.

The operation of the rotary steam-engine is as follows: The steam enters the steamchest 38 through the opening 39. The ring 42 is then revolved to position by hand in order that the steam-ports 43 and 44 of the ring shall be opposite to the steam-ports 26 and 27 of the cylinder. At this time the steamports 28 and 29 of the cylinder are closed by said ring. The piston is then revolved by means of the gear-Wheel 18 until the teeth 9 of the piston partially pass the steam-ports 26 of the cylinder, and at the same time the steam-openings 36 of the valve 32 follow the teeth 9 to uncover said port 26, and also immediately afterward the steam-ports 27 of the cylinder are uncovered by said valveopenings 36. The teeth 9 are slightly in advance of the openings 36 when operated. The'length of the openings 36 regulate the cut off of the steam to the teethof the piston. At this time the exhaust-ports 30 are open and the exhaust-ports 31 are closed. The

cushion-rollers 11 and 12 revolve at the same time as the piston by means of the gearwheels 19 and 20, which gear into the pistonshaft wheel 18. The rollers 11 and 12 form cushions for the back pressure of steam when in operation. 7 v

' In reversing the engine the operation is similar to the above and is accomplished by placing the steam-ports 45 and 46 of the ring 42 opposite to the steam-ports 28 and 29 of the cylinder.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rotary steam-engine, a central stationary cylinder, a central revoluble shaft mounted in suitable bearings of the cylinder and extending through said cylinder a piston secured on the shaft diametrically-opposite teeth on the piston, steam-openings in the teeth, side cylinders forming a part of the central cylinder, revoluble shafts suitably mounted in bearings of the side cylinders and extending through said. cylinders, rollers in the side cylinders and secured to the shafts thereof, the periphery of the rollers in contact with the periphery of the piston, and slots in the rollers to receive the teeth of the piston a steam-valve loosely connected to the central shaft means to revolve the valve, a stationary ring between the valve and the cylinder, steam-ports in the ring and means for adjusting and reversing the steam-ports of the ring to conform with the steam-ports of the cylinder as set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, a piston-cylinder, a roller-cylinder, the bores of said cylinders opening into each other, a central shaft extending through the piston-cylinder, a piston secured on said shaft, diametrically opposite teeth on the periphery of the piston, steamopenings in the teeth, a central shaft extending through the roller-cylinder, a roller secured on the shaft, a slot in the periphery of the roller to receive the teeth, a gear-wheel secured on the roller-shaft, a gear-wheel secured on the piston shaft to revolve the roller-shaft and steam-ports through one side of the piston-cylinder to admit steam between the side of a tooth and the periphery of the roller and means for reversing the steam, and means for opening and closing the exhaust-ports, as set forth.

3. In a rotary steam-engine, a rotatable piston, a rotatable roller, the peripheries of said piston and roller in contact with each other, cylinders inclosing the piston and the rollerspace between the bore of the cylinder and the periphery of the piston, a tooth extending across the periphery of the piston, a steamopening in the tooth, a slot on the periphery of the roller to receive said tooth, a shaft extending through said piston-cylinder and piston, a shaft extending through said rollercylinder and roller, a gear-wheel on the rollershaft and-a gear-wheel on the piston-shaft to revolve the roller and receive said tooth in said roller at every revolution of the piston, steam-ports in the cylinder to admit steam in the chamber between the periphery of the roller and the side of the tooth, to revolve the piston, and means for reversing the steam and means for opening and closing the exhaust-ports.

4. In a rotary steam-engine, a cylinder, a shaft extending through the center of the cylinder, a piston in the cylinder and secured on the shaft, a tooth extending across the periphery of the piston, a steam-chamber formed between the bore of the cylinder and the peripheryof the piston, an opening or slot extending across one side of the tooth to receive steam and expand the tooth to the bore of the cylinder, a secondary cylinder a shaft extending through the same, a roller secured on the shaft the periphery of the roller in contact with the periphery of the piston and aslot in the periphery of the roller to receive said tooth of the piston, as set forth.

5. In a rotary engine as described, a cylinder, a steam-chest secured to the cylinder, a shaft extending through the center of the cylinder and into the steam-chest a revoluble steam-valve loosely secured to the shaft in ing in the valve to communicate with said steam-ports of the cylinder, and means to of the valve with the teeth of the piston connected to the valve and the shaft for regulating the steam cut off by said openings, as set forth.

6. In a rotary steam-engine as described, a stationary cylinder, a revoluble shaft through the: cylinder, a steam-chest on one side of the cylinder, steam-ports in the cylinder communicating with the steam-chest, a steam-valve loosely connected to the shaft and in said chest steam-openings in the valve communicating with the cylinder and the chest, means on the shaft to revolve said valve, a stationary ring between said valve and thecylinder, steam-ports in the ring to communicate with the steam-valve openings and the steam-ports of the cylinder, and means for operating said ring.

-in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS BAYLEY;

Witnesses:

W. S. MCBRAYNE, J. H. HENDRY.

regulate the position of the steam-openings 7. In a rotary steam-engine as described, a 

